Reconfigurable expert rule processing system

Abstract

There is provided a reconfigurable computing system ( 10 ) for performing both script and rule processing. Reconfigurable computing system ( 10 ) generally includes a script processing module ( 100 ); a reconfigurable rule processing module ( 200 ); and a controller module ( 300 ). Reconfigurable rule processing module ( 200 ) includes a working memory portion ( 210 a, 210 b ), a rule evaluation portion ( 230 ), and an interconnection portion ( 220, 222 ) for coupling together the working memory ( 210 a, 210 b ) and rule evaluation ( 230 ) portions. The rule evaluation portion ( 230 ) is formed by a plurality of inference cells, each of which is configured to generate an inference signal responsive to at least a portion of an input signal. Controller module ( 300 ) which is coupled to both script processing module ( 100 ) and rule processing module ( 200 ) is capable of automatically actuating reconfiguration of rule processing module ( 200 ) in accordance with predetermined processing logic. Controller module ( 300 ) is adapted to generate configuration control data for this purpose.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A reconfigurable computing system for processing an input signal comprising: 
       (a) a first processing module adapted to execute a script instruction responsive to at least a portion of said input signal, said first processing module generating a first output signal;  
       (b) a reconfigurable second processing module adapted to execute a rule based evaluation responsive to at least a portion of said input signal, said second processing module generating a second output signal and including:  
       (1) a working memory portion for temporary storage of at least a portion of said input signal and at least a portion of said second output signal;  
       (2) a rule evaluation portion having a plurality of inference cells disposed in parallel, each of said inference cells being configured to generate an inference signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal; and,  
       (3) an interconnection portion for coupling together said working memory and said rule evaluation portions; and,  
       (c) a controller module coupled to said first and second processing modules for actuating cooperative operation thereof, said controller module including means for automatically actuating reconfiguration to a predetermined hardwired form of said second processing module in accordance with predetermined processing logic, said controller module being adapted to generate configuration control data for said second processing module.  
     
     
       2. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  1  wherein said second processing module further includes a configuration memory portion for storing said configuration control data. 
     
     
       3. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  2  wherein said second processing module further includes means for self-reconfiguration responsive to said configuration control data. 
     
     
       4. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  3  wherein said configuration control data generated by said controller module further includes predetermined parsing criteria. 
     
     
       5. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  1  wherein said working memory portion of said second processing module has reconfigurably formed therein at least one input memory mapped register and at least one output memory mapped register. 
     
     
       6. The reconfiguration processing system as recited in claim  5  wherein each said memory mapped register is multi-bit accessible. 
     
     
       7. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  5  wherein said input memory mapped register is configured in a serial-in-parallel-out shift register form and said output memory mapped register is configured in a parallel-in-serial-out shift register form. 
     
     
       8. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  1  wherein each of said inference cells of said second processing module rule evaluation portion has reconfigurably formed therein at least one of a plurality of predetermined logic gate configurations. 
     
     
       9. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  4  wherein at least a portion of said second processing module is formed on a programmable logic array device. 
     
     
       10. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  9  wherein said working memory, rule evaluation, interconnection, and configuration memory portions of said second processing module are formed on said programmable logic array device. 
     
     
       11. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  2  wherein said controller module means for automatically actuating reconfiguration of said second processing module includes: 
       (a) a partitioning portion for partitioning said predetermined processing logic into rule processing and script processing partitions;  
       (b) a first converting portion operably coupled to said partitioning portion for converting at least a portion of said rule processing partition to an equivalent logic gate set containing at least one of a plurality of predetermined logic gate configurations; and,  
       (c) a second converting portion operably coupled to said first converting portion for converting said equivalent logic gate set to at least a portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       12. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  11  wherein said second converting portion includes: 
       (a) a translator for generating for said equivalent logic gate set a Hardware Description Language description; and,  
       (b) a compiler operably coupled to said translator for compiling said Hardware Description Language description of said equivalent logic gate set to generate said portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       13. An automatically reconfigurable expert rule computing system for implementing predetermined processing logic having both a script processing partition and a rule processing partition comprising: 
       (a) a script processing module for generating a first output signal responsive to at least a portion of an input signal in accordance with said script processing partition;  
       (b) a reconfigurable rule processing module for generating a second output signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal in accordance with said rule processing partition, said rule processing module including:  
       (1) first and second working memory circuits for temporary storage therein, respectively, of at least a portion of said input signal and at least a portion of said second output signal, said first working memory circuit including a memory mapped input register, said second working memory circuit including a memory mapped output register;  
       (2) a rule evaluation portion having a plurality of inference cells disposed in parallel, each of said inference cells being configured to generate an inference signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal;  
       (3) an interconnection portion for coupling together said working memory circuits and said rule evaluation portion; and,  
       (4) a configuration memory portion coupled to said rule evaluation portion; and,  
       (c) a controller module coupled to said script and rule processing modules for actuating cooperative operation thereof, said controller module including means for automatically actuating reconfiguration to a predetermined hardwired form of said rule processing module in accordance with said rule processing partition, said controller module being adapted to generate configuration control data for said rule processing module.  
     
     
       14. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  13  wherein said rule processing module further includes means for self-reconfiguration responsive to said configuration control data. 
     
     
       15. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  14  wherein said controller module means for automatically actuating reconfiguration of said rule processing module includes: 
       (a) a partitioning portion for partitioning said predetermined processing logic into said rule processing and said script processing partitions thereof;  
       (b) a first converting portion operably coupled to said partitioning portion for converting at least a portion of said rule processing partition to an equivalent logic gate set containing at least one of a plurality of predetermined logic gate configurations; and,  
       (c) a second converting portion operably coupled to said first converting portion for converting said equivalent logic gate set to at least a portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       16. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  15  wherein said second converting portion includes: 
       (a) a translator for generating for said equivalent logic gate set a Hardware Description Language description; and,  
       (b) a compiler operably coupled to said translator for compiling said Hardware Description Language description of said equivalent logic gate set to generate said portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       17. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  16  wherein each of said inference cells of said rule processing module rule evaluation portion is defined by at least one of a plurality of predetermined logic gate configurations. 
     
     
       18. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  17  wherein at least a portion of said rule processing module is formed on a programmable logic array device. 
     
     
       19. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  18  wherein said working memory, rule evaluation, interconnection, and configuration memory portions of said rule processing module are formed on said programmable logic array device. 
     
     
       20. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  19  wherein said working memory portion of said rule processing module has reconfigurably formed therein at least one input memory mapped register and at least one output memory mapped register. 
     
     
       21. The reconfigurable expert rule processing system as recited in claim  20  wherein each said memory mapped register is multi-bit accessible. 
     
     
       22. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  19  wherein said working memory portion of said rule processing module has reconfigurably formed therein an input serial-in-parallel-out shift register and an output parallel-in-serial-out shift register. 
     
     
       23. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  22  wherein said configuration control data generated by said controller module further includes predetermined parsing criteria. 
     
     
       24. A reconfigurable expert rule computing system for processing an input signal comprising: 
       (a) a script processing module for generating a script processing output signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal;  
       (b) a reconfigurable rule processing module for generating at least one rule processing output signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal, said rule processing module including:  
       (1) at least one working memory portion for temporary storage therein of at least a portion of said input signal and at least a portion of said rule processing output signal;  
       (2) at least one rule evaluation portion having a plurality of inference cells disposed in parallel, each of said inference cells being configured to generate an inference signal responsive to at least a portion of said input signal; and,  
       (3) at least one interconnection portion for coupling together said working memory and said rule evaluation portions; and,  
       (c) a controller module coupled to said script and rule processing modules for actuating cooperative operation thereof, said controller module including means for automatically actuating reconfiguration to a predetermined hardwired form of said rule processing module in accordance with predetermined processing logic, said controller module being adapted to generate configuration control data for said rule processing module, said automatic reconfiguration actuation means including:  
       (1) a partitioning portion for partitioning said predetermined processing logic into rule processing and script processing partitions;  
       (2) a first converting portion operably coupled to said partitioning portion for converting at least a portion of said rule processing partition to an equivalent logic gate set containing at least one of a plurality of predetermined logic gate configurations; and,  
       (3) a second converting portion operably coupled to said first converting portion for converting said equivalent logic gate set to at least a portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       25. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  24  wherein said second converting portion includes: 
       (a) a translator for generating for said equivalent logic gate a Hardware Description Language description; and,  
       (b) a compiler operably coupled to said translator for compiling said Hardware Description Language description of said equivalent logic gate set to generate said portion of said configuration control data.  
     
     
       26. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  25  wherein said rule processing module includes a plurality of said rule evaluation portions coupled substantially in cascade, a portion of said rule processing output signal being fed back for input to at least one of said rule evaluation portions. 
     
     
       27. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  26  wherein at least a portion of said rule processing module is formed on a programmable logic array device. 
     
     
       28. The reconfigurable computing system as recited in claim  27  wherein said working memory, rule evaluation, interconnection, and configuration memory portions of said second processing module are formed on said programmable logic array device.